On a platform in occupied Paris, a mother whispers goodbye. It is the end. But also the beginning... 'What a book... Emotional and heartrending...absolutely phenomenal. I was on tenterhooks throughout. A wonderful achievement' JILL MANSELL *** THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER *** 'I absolutely loved it. An ingenious plot, wonderful believable characters and it moved me to tears. A fabulous read' LESLEY PEARSE 'An amazing story of love, resilience and the human spirit' TRACY REES 'You'll have your heart in your mouth and tears on your cheeks as it reaches its rich, life-affirming conclusion... Had me completely and utterly enraptured' LOUISE CANDLISH 'Brace yourself for a brilliant read. This will tug at your heartstrings' BEST 'Made me think and cry and rage and smile at mankind's capacity for both terrible, heartbreaking cruelty and beautiful, selfless love' NATASHA LESTER 'A heartbreaking debut' JANET SKESLIEN CHARLES, AUTHOR OF THE PARIS LIBRARY Paris 1944 A young woman's future is torn away in a heartbeat. Herded on to a train bound for Auschwitz, in an act of desperation she entrusts her most precious possession to a stranger. All she has left now is hope. Santa Cruz 1953 Jean-Luc thought he had left it all behind. The scar on his face a small price to pay for surviving the horrors of Nazi Occupation. Now, he has a new life in California, a family. He never expected the past to come knocking on his door. On a darkened platform, two destinies become entangled. Their choice will change the future in ways neither could have imagined... Beautiful. Powerful. Unforgettable. A stunning portrait of the brutality of war and the tenacity of love. In the tradition of Virginia Baily's Early One Morning, M. L. Stedman's The Light Between Oceans and Heather Morris's The Tattooist of Auschwitz.